Hozier - From Eden [EP]

BY ALEX ZINOVIEFF
FRIDAY, 9TH MAY 2014

There is something very special about Hozier. Maybe it’s the way his voice swoops through his music, with its beautiful rasp. Maybe its the way his songs seem to transcend form, and make compositions that feel more like a sentence ushered in a single long breath than a formulaic verse-chorus stutter. It could be the romantic lyrics, that don’t hide a thing.

Whatever it is, the latest EP, From Eden, is a joy. A triumph. The title track From Eden is one of those songs that you’ll play to a friend and you’ll feel fairly sure that it’ll latch itself to their brain, and remain on repeat for days.

Hozier is the vessel for Irishman Andrew Hozier-Byrne, and things seem to have really clicked on this release. It’s gritty, it’s raw, bit it’s also delicate and vulnerable. The swoony opening track From Eden is backed up with bleaker spells, such as Arsonists Lullaby, and bluesier moments like in To Be Alone.

If you’re going to a festival this summer then you’ll probably have the opportunity to see him. It turns out other people think he is good, too. Now that I think about it, I think Everybody thinks he is pretty good. Join the party. It’s a good one.